Posted on 12/21/2005 6:53:14 AM PST by truthandlife
A dispute involving the wife of Lakewood Church pastor Joel Osteen delayed holiday travel plans for a planeload of passengers, but few details were released Tuesday.
At least some people aboard the Continental Airlines flight were less than pleased after waiting about two hours at Bush Intercontinental Airport while the Osteens left the plane and their luggage was removed, said a woman who witnessed the incident.
"She was just abusive," said Sheila Steele, who said she was sitting behind Victoria Osteen. "She was just like one of those divas."
A church spokesman said the couple and their children left the plane voluntarily after the incident Monday and took another flight to Vail, Colo.
However, FBI Special Agent Luz Garcia said the Osteens were asked to leave the jetliner after an "altercation." She said Victoria Osteen "failed to comply" with instructions from the flight attendant. She added that no one was detained.
The incident occurred in the first class section on Flight 1602. Continental spokeswoman Julie King declined to give details.
The Osteens could not be reached for comment, and the Chronicle was unable to contact other passengers to corroborate Steele's version of events. However, the Vail Daily newspaper reported similar accounts of the incident from other first-class passengers.
Passenger Barbara Griffith told the Colorado paper that Joel Osteen was "very calm, very professional."
Lakewood Church spokesman Donald Iloff said Victoria Osteen contacted a flight attendant after noticing that a liquid had been spilled on her seat. The spill apparently was not cleaned up to her satisfaction, Iloff said. The family left the plane voluntarily and took another flight, Iloff said.
The airline issued a statement saying corporate policy forbids identifying passengers.
"There have been various accounts regarding events that occurred on one of our flights," the statement added. "We can confirm that there are no remaining issues between (Continental Airlines) and those passengers, and therefore, both parties feel no further comment is necessary."
Steele said Victoria Osteen was upset about liquid on her pull-down tray and asked a flight attendant to have it cleaned. When the attendant, who was carrying paperwork to the cockpit, told her she couldn't do it immediately, Osteen replied, "Fine, get me a stewardess who can," Steele said.
She said Victoria Osteen pushed a flight attendant and tried to get into the cockpit. Passengers quoted in the Colorado paper did not address those details.
Soon after, authorities were called to the plane, she said, although it was not clear Tuesday whether they were airline officials.
Garcia said Continental officials contacted the FBI about the incident. The agency decided not to investigate.
"It was quickly resolved between the airline and the Osteens," Garcia said.
Steele said she and other passengers were upset that they had to wait about two hours while the Osteens' baggage was removed from the plane.
Joel Osteen is a nationally known author of self-help books.
He became pastor of Lakewood Church in October 1999, building it into what some observers say is the largest church in the U.S.
Victoria Osteen also preaches and plays a significant role at the church.
The congregation in July moved into the 16,000-seat Compaq Center.
Not all "proud prelates" wear mitres. When a preacher gets this famous, he needs to behave as well as Billy Graham. But even Graham caught some of the disease, when he was hanging around with presidents.
You mean the "god" in themselves, and I don't mean the Holy Spirit.
I think I'd qualify this as a a little more than "bad." I mean even on my bad days, I don't push people. Not to mention the fact that on an airplane if you create a ruckus, you could end up handcuffed and arrested.
Very well said. We all have bad moments but it sure appears this is a little extreme. If she really did push a FA, she sounds like she has some issues.
I agree with you on some of the attitudes of the FAs today but you have to put yourself in their shoes. They are well paid and highly trained but they have to act in a waitress capacity. It was find in the old days when a better class of people traveled but nowadays anyone can afford to fly and it shows! I had a couple on a flight a few years ago with an entire log of baloney, a cutting board, the big loaf of crusty bread and the serrated knife!!! Too funny - couldn't do that today, though I supposed you could get on the plane with the baloney and it was big enough to give someone a good wallop if necessary. Anyway, FAs today must be in constant awareness of everything - it started with the hijackers and now, we of course know, there are terrorists. Add that with drunken passengers and defecating and urinating passengers and you can have some pretty tense situations! I say we need to give the FA's the benefit of the doubt. God Bless them I say. They are no longer the friendly skies.
That was and is a good song. Thanks for the lyrics and the reminder!!! I think they write some very powerful stuff.
I was joking. I haven't read the whole thread but somewhere out there some really paranoid person is thinking this.
Unless first class seats have changed in the past couple years the trays in first class are not in the seat in front - but fold into the arm rest between the two seats.
It's hard to say what happened - tho' I do know that I wouldn't want to sit in a wet mess.. in fact I held up people getting to their seats at Chili's on Sunday because there was soda (and a straw) in my seat. I had to ask two times for someone to give me a napkin or something... no way I was going to have dark colored soda all over the back of my cream colored skirt...
I have serious doubts whether this is true? If it was true, then she would have been arrested. So that makes me doubt all that this Steele woman is saying.
Joel has to provide for his family somehow!
It is just called a Compaq Center. Maybe, you prefer Playboy center instead of Compaq. The brand almost don't exist anyway. So, why does it matter?
Overcoming your Jealousy
Step 1: Isolate the Cause of the Jealousy
Step 2: Focus on Eliminating One Jealousy Trigger
Step 3: Build Up your Self Esteem
I Cor. 10:22 - "do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?"
" So, why does it matter? "
You're right. Jesus would have no problem with His Name being so commercialized. It's not like there are any Bible passages where Jesus got angry at people using houses of worship to generate wealth..
/sarc.
Sorry mate.... I did that whole movie scene for nothing.... darn. You're probably right though....
Read his book. That's what it is. Name it and claim it, health and wealth. I think the Apostle Paul would be inclined to disagree with Mr. Osteen. He does tickle a lot of ears.
I'd be inclined to agree.
Steele said Victoria Osteen was upset about liquid on her pull-down tray and asked a flight attendant to have it cleaned. When the attendant, who was carrying paperwork to the cockpit, told her she couldn't do it immediately, Osteen replied, "Fine, get me a stewardess who can," Steele said.
Spoiled brat. Did it ever occur to her to pull a Kleenex out of her purse clean it up herself. After all, "the Lord helps those who help themselves" Or does she just think that means "help herself to the collection plate!?"
The guy has a cartoon of a church.
would you prefer if he was worshiping at the SuperDome?
There is no specific setting that God want us to worship for the most part. I am not sure how wealthy he is but i can only assume he has about $500,000 of asset. And most of it was generated by the sell of his $150,000 home that he bought several years ago. I am not even sure how much he got from selling books but his book is really good.
God never said that if you worship me I will make you poor or does it say if you worship me I will make you rich. He never shows off his bling bling if he even has one. He never talks about money during his service. I am not sure why you have this problem.
You make it sound like he sold some "Jesus-Water" for "Jesus-Cloth." He sold books that were legimately good read and helpful for many people. There is nothing wrong with that. Would you rather him not written the book at all? I don't know what he did with his money but that's not for me to decide. I don't think God is displeased with him selling books that contains his message and that can help people to get in touch with God. Not everybody has to attend fire breathing churches.
Look at the big picture. He is reaching out to people who other wise turned away from God. I would almost anything if I can bring people to God.
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